This Mets/Phillies series is probably the closest thing we have to the “Baseball Jihad” series that used to be played between the Mets and the Cardinals in the 80’s, where the Mets would build on power and pitching, and the Cardinals would build on speed and more speed. This iteration of Baseball Jihad features the Mets and the Phillies, but this time the Mets are built on tough at-bats, pitching and defense, while the Phillies are built on two good starters and a ton of all or nothing players who play defense about as well as Jeffy Wilpon spends money or treats pregnant employees.
The first part of the game was in favor of the way the Mets built their team. The Mets scored three runs which were helped out by an Alec Bohm throwing error and general lack of range by the Phillies’ fielders, but also by good approaches by the mid to lower part of the order as Eduardo Escobar’s single, J.D. Davis’ walk and Mark Canha’s single extended the inning that was on life support after Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso could only bring home one run with two outs after hits by Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte.
The Mets defense also showed the Phillies how it’s done as evidenced by this double play in the fourth where Luis Guillorme saved Lindor’s throw, Alonso saved Guillorme’s throw, and Rhys Hoskins saved his elite tantrums for later in the season.
Ohhhhh my!! #LGM pic.twitter.com/qNeXiVGM3s
— New York Mets (@Mets) April 12, 2022
And even the Mets pitching depth saved them as after Taijuan Walker had to leave with an injury after pitching two great innings, David Peterson came in and took advantage of a lefty laden Phillies lineup and pitched four scoreless innings, giving up three hits and striking out three. It could have been a complete disaster but Peterson made the Phillies sit, stay, and roll over. After James McCann manufactured a run with a walk, a stolen base, and then scoring on a Lindor single in the 7th, Trevor May pitched a scoreless bottom of the frame and with the Mets up 4-0 at that point, all seemed well. But the 8th is where the tide started to turn and the Phillies’ modus operandi started to pay off.
Buck Showalter let May start the 8th, which is curious as May wasn’t asked to start a second inning of work all of last year. But his reasoning was that May pitched a quick 7th (12 pitches) and had enough to come out for another inning. But May walked Bohm to start the inning and then left because of an injury. So far this season, it has seemed that Buck is trying to stretch out his relievers to work longer than an inning at a time, which to be honest isn’t the worst strategy in the world as once the roster limit goes to 13 pitches on May 1st, having pitchers just go an inning at a time will make you run out of pitchers fast in a game, and it seems as if Buck is preparing for that. But it is curious and hopefully just coincidental that May’s injury, which is being called “possible arm fatigue” came after doing something he hasn’t normally done.
Joely Rodriguez came in to replace May, and faced the switch hitting Johan Camargo, and lefty Kyle Schwarber, and J.T. Realmuto. Remember the three batter minimum, as Camargo singled, Schwarber drove in the first Phillies run on a fielder’s choice, and gave up a dinger to Realmuto and all of a sudden 1 4-0 game turned into a 4-3 game. This is where I wonder about the Rodriguez for Miguel Castro trade as Castro, for all his warts, was a good crossover guy while Rodriguez’s stats scream “lefty specialist”. So when Rodriguez is in those situations where he has to face a righty because of the three batter minimum, he could be in big trouble. That’s where I hate having lefties just for the sake of lefties when you trade away a guy who can get lefties out because he throws with his right hand.
The rest of the inning didn’t go great either. After Rodriguez struck out Bryce Harper for the second out, Buck brought in Seth Lugo to face Nick Castellanos, and at this point things seemed to be regulated a bit. Lugo protecting a one-run lead in the 8th with the bases empty is something the Mets would have signed up for (of course, without the two injuries to their pitching staff.) Lugo had Castellanos 1-2, but Castellanos wouldn’t fish at two curveballs and a slider and he walked. Rhys Hoskins then lined a double to left field to tie the game 4-4. Then after having Didi Gregorius down 0-2, Lugo left a sinker on a tee for Gregorius and he doubled home Hoskins to give the Phillies a 5-4 lead.
The insult added to the Mets’ multiple injuries was being closed out by former Met Brad Hand with former Met Jeurys Familia in the bullpen. 1-2-3 went the Mets in the 9th and the first round of this fight went to the Phillies on a split decision. Nothing is decided yet in terms of the right way to build baseball teams, but this is going to be a key factor in who is contending and who is pretending.
Today’s Hate List
I cede to Alec Bohm on this one:
“I fucking hate this place” Alec Bohm after Phillies fans sarcastically cheer an out pic.twitter.com/ZU9CV4NXuJ
— Crossing Broad (@CrossingBroad) April 11, 2022
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